Revolver Revival - Why buy a revolver?

This is a discussion on Revolver Revival - Why buy a revolver? within the Ruger Double Action forums, part of the Pistol & Revolver Forum category; Why buy a revolver?
People have asked me, "Why buy an expensive revolver when Autos are better than ever?"
I have answers, but I wonder ...

Why buy a revolver?
People have asked me, "Why buy an expensive revolver when Autos are better than ever?"
I have answers, but I wonder about you wheelgunners out there. I think there is a revival in revolvers quietly going on as evidenced by: Smith, Ruger and others developing newer, lighter and innovative wheelguns; the movement to these revolvers for backup; the fun sensation of the Taurus 4510 Series, AKA the Judge, (and the new S&W shotgun/cartridge revolver). Additionally, there seems to be demand outstripping supplies in retail locations for many DA revolver products.

Maybe:
1.) We are bored with Glock look a likes... and we already have a 1911.
2) We want the intimidation factor of the big cylinder and big black hole...
3) We think autos might be collected up by the libs in the future...
4) The Revolver seems inherently more reliable without the magazine springs going soft in lengthy periods of storage etc.
5) Different parts of the country may be motivated a bit differently, But here in the cold North shooting outside in the winter is tough if you want to save your brass-- easy with a revolver, NOT with an auto when you are in the snow...
What do you guys think? I just need a change sometimes, AND I like 'em.

With me I just like they way a revolver feels in my hands. I like how it points, carries and shoots. In short it's my preference. Most of all when I wake up at 3:00 am because something went bump, I don't have to worry about safeties, decockers, mag releases or 3-4# D/A triggers. Loaded chamber indicator, have a look. Have a bad round pull the trigger again. When the stress is high keep it simple.

Could it simply be because some of us just like revolvers? More fun? Simple right! IMHO, the only thing a semi-auto is good for is Military and Law Enforcement. I enjoy target shooting and when I used to hunt, the revolver made a good sidearm. In both of these scenarios there is no need for carrying a bottom feeder. Where I live, 5 in the cylinder should be all I ever need for home defense or CC. More than that and I must be in a war zone. I even focus down on Single Actions. A double action just seems overly complicated for my needs. What worked in the 1800s works fine today ... and we have a lot more choices (gun and caliber) too! Simple, reliable, and safe.

"1.) We are bored with Glock look a likes... and we already have a 1911."

more like "no one can afford a 1911".

also... "we are bored of Glock lookalikes" is not true at all. if we were bored of them, people wouldn't keep making them. besides, it's apples and oranges.
besides, talk a look at my pic/icon... that LCR looks more like a Glock that a traditional revolver (in fact, they look like they were meant to go together)... so "looking like a Glock" is not driving people away. clearly.

i also don't think saving brass has anything to do with it either, at least not enough to sway the whole market... the reason has to be much more mainstream that that.
and while i wholeheartedly also agree with TerryP... i still don't think that the people who consider that advantage make up the majority of the gun buying public (which drives the market).

i think it's simply tradition. America loves tradition, the old west, iconic figures (the duke, dirty harry, etc...)... and the revolver plays a huge part in the connection to that.

as much as we all like to talk about functionality... the truth is we do buy guns of a certain type because they just look bad-*** (SAA clones, 1911s, "tactical" models, etc...). let's be honest.

i think looks and tradition play the biggest roll in keeping revolvers alive.

seriously, the gun community is quite an efficient bunch, don't you think? we always want something better, smaller, more efficient, and so on... not to mention lighter and easier to carry ammo....

yet we continue to use revolvers, the vast majority of which use rounds that are twice as long (and heavy) as they need to be. that's not very efficient at all. if logic was a factor, we would have either redesigned the .38/.357 round, or stopped using the guns that chamber them... but we haven't.

You can wear out a lot of ammo as the chambered round in an auto has to be ejected and replaced so often. Sometimes, bullets even get forced deeper into the cases.

And I don't want to have to cycle a slide when danger comes or leave an auto stored for a long period with a chambered round. Revolvers require less maintenance. No need to field strip one and oil the slide rails.

At night, I answer the door gun in hand. A revolver is easier to use than cycling the slide on an auto, which someone might also hear through a thin apartment door. That can be interpreted as a threat.

I do like some autos, and have a couple. But most of my guns are revolvers.

Revolvers also tend to be more accurate. I certainly concede that some autos are also very accurate, especially in match versions.

You guys are great.
Opinion seems to hail the simple reliability of the revolver as the first reason for its continued and reviving popularity.
StirFry says it well regarding tradition and the American psyche. BUT, in the smaller fraternity of wheelgunners is populated with a disproportionate group of Glock/XD/plastic gun detractors who acknowledge the popularity, especially for CCW, but love the strength and power of the revolver. StirFry is right though IMO, the way they sell says something, but a lot of experienced guys are carrying revolvers now who could carry any number of autos from their gun closets.
I gotta say, a holstered large revolver seems more like a formidable issue on a cop than a hard to see wondernine... I think the camper or property owner or whatever is served by that intimidation factor.
What about reloading? Seems like there is more upside to reloading for the revolver due to its ability to manage any load, unlike autos which need a certain range of energy to cycle well.

Revolvers are just plain fun. If you are a handloader they are more versatile. I hunt with a handgun, and to me a revolver is a better platform for that use, besides, me being a resident of Pennsylvania these days I cannot hunt with a semi-auto rifle or handgun. by the way, Im not opposed to semi-autos as I'm anxiously awaiting a Kimber .45 acp that I ordered 4 monthes ago to arrive, it will be my first semi-auto.

Personally, I like guns, so I have autoloaders and revolvers. I can't imagine just sticking with one or the other type - how boring! I wouldn't give up my wheel guns any more then I'd give up my 1911s.

And for a woods/hiking sidearm, a revolver just feels right (for me, a 4" or 6" GP100 usually), sort of how a lever action or bolt action rifle just "feels" right, over an autoloader, when out in the woods (in my mind anyway).

My first handgun was a revolver...a S&W M28 Highway Patrolman 357. I later that same year bought a Ruger Blackhawk in 45 Colt(for $75 believe it or not). Some years later a M29 followed me home and then a S&W M25 in 45 Colt.

I guess for me I'm returning to my "roots" I've had a smorgasboard of autos from the 1911(about six of them) to Sigs(P220) and 3rd Generation S&W autos... not to mention the Glocks. I still have most of these except the 1911's and love the G30 but, for reasons unknown to me I wanted a revolver again. It's kind of like going to a class reunion and running across an old girlfriend you hadn't seen in 20 years or so. Strangle analogy but my runs strange at times.

I think properly trained and with range time, you can shoot a revolver nearly as good as an auto. I say nearly because I don't think I'll ever be able to shoot DA with a 357 like I can a G19 or a 4566 S&W. Still they all have a place in my heart and I enjoy them all. I don't have to be concerned with FTF issues or FTRTB or ejection problems with an SP101 or GP100. No concern for recoil spring weakness or mag problems. They all have their troubles occasionally but the autos I've experienced, more likely than a good quality revolver.